As our previous blogs have stated, the air quality of your building is a deciding factor in production, especially where employee health is concerned. At the very least, your employees are spending eight hours in your building, with some individuals spending up to 90 percent of their lives indoors. It’s vital to keep the air that is circulating through your business clean and clear from any dangerous contaminants. One major concern comes from volatile organic compounds (VOCs). When these fairly common compounds are released into the air, the results on your employees and guests can be damaging. Hiring a commercial cleaning company for your Missouri business is one way to help fight airborne toxins. Crystal Clear Enterprise is proud to offer the best janitorial services to Kansas City businesses, focusing on high standards and stringent training to ensure the best possible outcome for our clients.

Today, we’ll look deeper into VOCs and their impact on the workplace. When you’re ready to take action with professional cleaning services, be sure to contact Crystal Clear to learn more about our operations!

Where do VOCs come from?

As hazardous as they are, volatile organic compounds actually reside in a large number of everyday items. When you are working throughout the day, you are at risk for being bombarded by VOCs from:

Glues and adhesives

Cleaning chemicals

Carpeting

Scented products

Furniture

Paints and stains

Copiers and printers

Individually these sources can be minor, but together these VOC sources can quickly create a hazard for your building’s inhabitants. Formaldehyde is one of the most prevalent compounds in use, which can create a very carcinogenic environment for your employees. This gas is commonly known for use in its liquid state as an embalming fluid, that disinfects and preserves bodies. While useful for deceased patrons and some glues found around the office, the negative effects can quickly become apparent in your office.

The Dangers of VOCs

High levels of these compounds can create a plethora of problems for people, ranging from throat discomfort to nausea to kidney damage and more. Concentrated VOCs have been tested on animals, only to find that they are cancer causing. The carcinogenic effects of these compounds is a major concern, as concentrated exposures in the workplace can be very damaging. While the symptoms of high VOC exposure vary, many people report headaches, eye irritation, excessive fatigue, and generally feeling sick.

The gas composition of VOCs make humans very susceptible to exposure. You can easily surpass the level of safe exposure by inhaling VOCs, swallowing them, or touching them. One theory on exposure states that we can absorb a certain amount of toxins as a whole, but too much can lead to illness.

Minimizing VOCs

While keeping your building’s air quality safe is a difficult task, it can be done. By removing VOC sources and effectively sealing materials, you can help to reduce the airborne concentration of these compounds. Cleaning agents, paints, and other chemicals are major contributors to the problem and should be minimized as much as possible. Proper usage and mixing of these chemicals is necessary, as disregarding label precautions can be very dangerous! Another effective measure in the fight against VOCs is by bringing in fresh air via an effective ventilation system. An influx of air circulating in your building will help to minimize the concentration of toxins in certain areas, reducing the dangers for inhabitants. It can help to think of this practice as the same as when you use spray paint outdoors, where fresh air helps to minimize nausea and headaches.

Hiring an office cleaning company with a focus on responsible cleaning products is one way to help minimize the dangers. Professional cleaning companies, including Crystal Clear, use green cleaning supplies in order to provide safe, effective results. By checking the labels on every cleaning product, you can help to ensure that hazardous toxins are not being released into the air.

Taking the proper precautions can help to minimize the VOCs in your building. These troublesome carcinogens can be hard to source and control, making the task a perfect fit for professional cleaners. Crystal Clear is here to provide the best janitorial services to your Kansas City business by delivering fast, effective results that will help your building shine. Since 1997, our commercial cleaning experts have striven to hone the practice and create a service that cannot be beat by the competitors. Contact us today to learn more or to see how we can improve the air quality in your office!